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22 September 2011

If new technology will save me a significant amount of time or make me a better family historian, I am happy to use it. If it won't, or if it is beyond my budget, I make no apology for sticking to traditional methods.

After reading the responses to the original list by Geniaus and the expanded list by John Newmark, I am relieved to see that I am not the only one with a low 'tech savvy' score. My list (below) is annotated as follows:

* Things I have already done / found = bold type
* Things I would like to do / find = italics
* Things I haven't done / found and don't care = plain type
* My comments are in [square brackets].

Use Dropbox, SugarSync or other service to save documents in the cloud [I use Dropbox and Evernote to keep backups of my most important genealogy documents online.]

Schedule regular email backups [every time I download emails]

Have contributed to the FamilySearch Wiki

Have scanned and tagged your genealogy photographs [most of them]

Have published a genealogy book in an online/digital format.

I have only done four of John's extras:

Can code a webpage in .html using Notepad or any other text-only software [same as no.22 above]

Have a local library card that offers you home access to online databases, and you use that access [Brisbane City Council, State Library of Qld, National Library of Australia]

Brought a USB device to a microfilm repository so you could download instead of print

Started a Genealogy-related weekly blogging theme other geneabloggers participated in ['Thrifty Thursday']

Changing the subject slightly... One of John's items was 'Have used Photoshop or other editing software to clean up an old family photo'. Use caution if you do this. What if the position of a rip in a photo means that a facial scar is obliterated? 'Cleaning up' the photo may result in misleading information about that person's physical appearance.

Jill, Carole & Susan - thanks for your supportive feedback. Susan, I think you will find Twitter useful (and not overwhelming) if you just follow a small number of relevant people. Apart from the two examples I mentioned on your blog, you should also have a look at Chris Paton who shares lots of tips for Scottish and Irish genealogy.

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